Off road driving tuition with Overland Pursuits, Surrey.It’s a small world isn’t it … for quite a while I had been telling my wife of my intention to buy a 4x4 (probably a Discovery because you can get them with air-con!). Just as well I had been, because one day while on a trip to the local dump – sorry refuse collection point – Pauline saw a big Land Rover with stickers all over it drive in. It turned out that the chap ran an off road training company and they were local, so she collected a leaflet.
A few months later I popped out one Saturday afternoon “just to look at†a Discovery, because “it’s the sort of thing I might likeâ€Â. A week later I collected it!
A trawl of the Internet found me the Discovery Owners Club and the Mud Club, both of which looked like an excellent source of knowledge so they were both duly joined.
The following couple of months saw a few green lane outings and a couple of pay-and-play events. I tried to gather as much knowledge beforehand by asking large numbers of questions on the Mud Club and DOC forums.
All of a sudden Christmas was upon us with all the usual “stuff†that surrounds it. Christmas morning we all sit down to open our presents, which our 3 young boys very much enjoy. Now then, can you guess what I found in a small white envelope under the tree? Yes, you’ve guessed it – the leaflet about off road tuition with Overland Pursuits!
After a few chats with David, a Saturday morning was arranged for early February.
At 9:15am we set off on the 20 minute journey to Abinger Hammer … luckily the roads were not busy! After a quick introduction, we settled down into David’s classroom, overlooking the pastoral scene of prize English Shorthorns contentedly grazing. And fully equipped it was too, an overhead projector for the slides, a whiteboard for explaining the difficult bits, course notes and tea or coffee!
We spent about an hour going over the basics such as the benefits of 4x4, diff locks, hill climbing and descending and much more. You may be thinking that this is a wasted hour, but I found it very useful to have things that you think you know explained and put into context.
After a 5 minute drive we arrived at the small course that Overland Pursuits have custom built for their training courses. It isn’t a big course, but it has everything David needs.
Before we did any driving, David ran through a checklist to ensure the car was safe to use. We spent the next 2 ½ hours driving round the course doing specific activities and practising the topics that were discussed in the classroom.
I am by no means an experienced 4x4 driver, but I had already done a number of events including a day in the Berwyn Mountains in Wales, which covered some interesting terrain! So a lot of what we covered was not new although it was good to practice it in a controlled environment with a very experienced driver beside me.
The one thing that had been on my mind to ask about, which I had not yet experienced, was what to do after a failed hill climb. You might know the type of thing … you decide to give that large, long, steep climb a go but find yourself stalled or stopped half way up. My question was what do I do now?!
OK said David, let’s practice it – “OK Gordon, drive up that slope and when you get near to the top, stop†… OK, said I and off I went and duly stopped just near the top. Discovery seats are very comfortable when the car is pointing significantly skywards!
Apparently, there are two techniques for descending from such a position (plus a third, much less graceful one).
If your engine is still running, keep your foot on the brake and clutch and engage reverse. Then let the clutch out until it bites and take your foot off the brake. Oh yes, it’s best to make sure you are in low box! Hold the steering wheel tight, look behind you and enjoy the controlled decent!
If your engine has stalled, keep your foot on the brake and clutch, engage reverse, take your feet off both pedals, hold the steering wheel and while looking out of the back window … start the engine. Yet another controlled decent! I felt very pleased with myself.
Pauline then took the wheel and was then taken through all the elements as well. Descents seem to look much steeper from the back seat, you know!
Finally, David and I had a chat about recovery techniques and I even had a go with a kinetic rope.
To finish off the morning we set off on a drive along some of the green lanes, which start just outside the training course.
The course was very enjoyable, I learned a lot and confirmed the bits I already knew. Pauline, as an absolute novice, also found the course very useful. Having an experienced driver coaching her gave her more confidence to try the more difficult bits.
A few pictures can be seen hereContact David Harmes, Principal Instructor at Overland Pursuits on 01306 731530, or see their web site at
http://www.overlandpursuits.co.uk.
More about David HarmesDavid has over 25 years experience of driving off-road. His interest in 4x4 vehicles started at an early age when the first vehicle that he owned was a Land Rover Series 1. This, of course, was only a toy, but was the beginning of a lifetime enthusiasm for Land Rovers and 4x4.
In the late seventies, whilst living and working in Panama, the only way to get to most parts of the country was in a 4x4. The vehicle in this case was a Jeep CJ7, which coped well with the many extreme situations. The need to drive through tropical jungle, and mountainous regions mean’t that he soon learned successful driving techniques, and how to avoid or overcome the many hazards encountered. In particular, with survival in an extreme environment dependant on the vehicle, it was important to learn a defensive driving approach, protecting the vehicle so it can get you home.
Several spells in Nigeria confirmed the value of a robust 4x4 vehicle, and the need for skills to drive it safely. In the UK, he has owned and driven a variety of 4x4s over the years, and has driven regularly off-road in the UK and Europe.
He is a member of the Land Rover Series 1 club, the Camel Trophy club, and is an active member of the Dunsfold Collection, writing their quarterly newsletter. The Dunsfold Collection is a museum of over 60 rare and unusual Land Rover vehicles, and David is a regular demonstration driver at their Open Days.
After years of giving instruction and advice to beginners to off-road driving, and organising green-lane tours, David was persuaded to combine his professional training skills with his hobby, and this lead to the formation of Overland Pursuits at the end of 2001.
